Pitch contour refers to the variation in pitch over time in spoken language or music. It illustrates how the frequency of a sound changes, creating a visual representation of rising and falling tones. In speech, pitch contour helps convey emotions, questions, or statements, while in music, it defines melodies and harmonies. In linguistics, pitch contour is crucial for understanding intonation patterns in different languages. For example, a rising pitch at the end of a sentence often indicates a question in English. Similarly, in music theory, analyzing pitch contours aids in composing and interpreting melodies, enhancing the overall auditory experience.